Colostomy belt



L. PRESENT April 16, 1957 COLOSTOMY BELT 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1956 zzvmvron Lou/ls Present.

ATTORNEYS.

April 16, 1957 Filed Jan. 13, 1956 L. PRESENT COLOSTOMY BELT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Louzls Fraser: 2.

Maw

ATTORNEYQS- United States Patent 55 78 coLosmMY BELT L r -'1 Bas et City, Applicationilanuary13,1;56, Serial No. 558,903

" to ewe) This invention relates to surgical belts, and more particularly, to colostomy and like belts which support colostomy bags or pouches on the abdomen of a" patient, and has for its'princip'alobject to provide a colostomy belt or the like which is easily" applied and'removed and reduces to -a minimum the bluges'or protrusions that affect'the'appearance "of the garments of the wearer.

Other objects of the invent-ion are to providea'belt of thecharacter described Which'includes' an elastic Webbing extending around the person with a removable panel of the same elastic webbing' overlying the pouch to hold .same substantially flattened; to provide such a belt with a removable'p'ouch member that is easily cleaned; to'p'rovide"such'-a belt'wherein substantially all portions contacting the body are pliable =fo'r conforming to'the shape of the p'erson with maximum comfort to the wearer; to provide :s'ucha belt with removable sections for adjustment of the'size for optimum fit on the'patient; and to provide such a surgical beltthat is economical to manufactui'e, relatively comfortable to the patient, efficient in holding the pouch member: in place and adapted to be laundered in its entirety.-

" l'naccomplishing these and other objects of the presentinventin, I have provided improved details of structurejthe preferred form 'ofwhichis' illustrated the accompanying drawings, wherein: f "Fig. lis 'a'perspective view of a surgical belt constructed in accordancewith the'present invention.

*Fig. Z'is a'disass'embled perspective view of the surgical belt, removable panel and pouch member.

"Fig. 3 is a partial perspe'ctive view of the interior of the belt with the pouch member in place. L

Fig. r isan enlarged'se'cti'onal view through a portion of the belt and "pouch member.

' Referring more in detail to the drawings:

Ydesign'ateS a surgical .belt' 'vvhich includes a band 2 made from elastic Webbing of suitable width, for example, approximately 8 inchesjiand provided on each of its end edges 3 and '4' with portions 5 and 6 ofa separable fastener 7 such as a'slide fastener whereby sa-id'end edges may be connected together to extendabout the body of a patient or wearer." While the 12.311512 is ofelastic Webbii 's r bl Of le e ibn; or m imum s f r f the w r .1 n t a 1 P 5 lI imp ted on the ody the-band shouldbe someWhat un-iforrn. Therefore, insertsor'sections of elastic webbing are arranged with portions "9 and are 's'eparables'lide fastener suitably secured on each e'nd "12 and '13 respectively adapted to ble' ga ti Wi hths a biis POW 9 5 nd fi e pec iv y to adjust the belt to a suitable size to provide theiproper fit around persons of diiferent size. Different length or a plurality of sections 8 may be used to give desired variation in the size of the band. It is preferable that the slide fasteners extend from the lower edges 14 of the band 2 and section 8 upwardly therefrom and terminate as at 15 with the portion of the ends of the band betweenthe end 1523f the'slide fastener and the upper edge; 15 of the .b 'ifi b ig i i tlWil-h has aw 1 the a Batented A pr 16, 1957 of the sections Salso-being provided with corresponding mating hooks and eyesforfcoiinection thereto. Phe hook band 2 and-sections '8. The edges'1'4 and 16 of the band are preferably covered by a suitable elastic binding '19 secured thereto as by stitching 20 to prevent the band from folding or curling up on the wearer. Loops of fabric 21 are preferably'secured in spaced relation to the band adjacen't the lower edge '14 for attachment of garters or other strapsY-ifdesired. Also, the lower edge 14 and upper edge 16 of the band 2 and sections 8 may be of equal length or one shorter-than the other to fit the body of the wearer; however, usually the upper edge 16 is slightly shorter as it should extend substantiallyabout the waist of. the wearer. l a

In the illustrated structure, the ends? and 4are adapted to be positioned substantially at the left side of the wearer and the front pout-ion 22- is provided with an opening 23 and. rings 24 and 25 of fabric stifiening material such as crinoline are arranged on opposite sides of. the band covering the margins of the opening. Coverings 26' and 27 are provided-over the rings 24 and'25 respectively with the edges of said covering turned-under the stiffening and then the covering and stiffening margins sewn or suitably secured to the elastic webbing as by stitching 28, the inner edges 29- of the rings substantially registering with the inner edges of the opening 23. The coverings 2'6 and 27 are preferably of a relatively thin. sheet of synthetic res-in such as polyethylene or like washable impervious material. The stiifening rings/25 and covering27 onthe inner surface of the elastic webbing provide a slight thickness that slightly increases the pressure applied to the body in the area surrounding the opening23 and also eliminate stretching or distortion of the margins of i the opening23;

Slide fastener portions 30 and 31 are suitably secured -as -by stitchin'g'32intrafisverse'relation on the band 2 on opposite sides of the opening 23 {tl1 e fastener portions being s'paced from'the outer'margins of the ring 24, said fastener portions being of a lng thwvhereby the end extremi ties extend both above and below the upper and lower margins of the'rin g 24. V V V "A removable panel 33 of'elast-ic webbing has a length substantially corresponding to the space ini between the fastenerportion's 3t and3'1 whereby slide fasteneri por; tions 34"and'SE'suitably'seiiured to the ends of the panel 33 are adapted to engage' the slide fastener portionsfiband 31"respectively' and besecured thereto were members 36 and'37 respecfive1y, 'an dwhen ,so secure d, thel panel will lie substantiall y'fiat on the outer face of the band 2 between the slide" fastener portions 3! and 31 A pouch member 383s adapted to be connected'to the belt in covering relation to the opening 23. The pouch member consists of a bag SQf rmed of flexible synthetic resin such as polyethylene and is formed by a relatively thin sheet or such material having its edges drawn together to ram s circulari openingormouthI40 and the edges secured as by stitching to edges ofan opening 42 in a flat piece of sheet material 43fwhich in the"illnstratedstructure'is oval-shaped with its ,outer edges 44 spaced from the opening 42 The opening 12 preferably circular and slightly" smaller in diameter thantheopeninglz3. whereby the pouch. member assembly .38 is suchthat it will extendrthroug h the opening 23 with the sheet, .43 engaging theinner surface offthe cover 27 and belt 2,in, the area, surrounding .the opening. 23, nd, he as}? xte ding. h oug ei p s 1 and s tiqnsd natheextefisr .ot he. tmember 24 n Wei .6 hs fq as v ut-. ate ig-c. 4. whereby the b smsmb r nd r ies the p nama.twhen,-the. .p s :i

secured to the belt. The sheet material 43 is preferably of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene or like impervious washable material that is flexible yet with slightly more thickness than the bag member to provide a tendency for the sheet 43 to lie flat against the body of the wearer; The sheet material 43 also adheres slightly to the body to form a seal therewith.

In using a colostomy belt constructed as described,

one of the slide fasteners 7 and corresponding hooks 17 and eyes 18 are disengaged and the belt extended around the body of the wearer. Then a suitable section 8 is selected whereby the circumference of the belt 2 and section 8 is slightly smaller than the body of the patient so as to provide the desired pressure .to be applied by the belt. Then the panel 33 is removed and the pouch member 38 applied to the belt. .Then the belt is placed around the body of the wearer and the slide fastener 7 engaged and secured. The hooks and eyes 17 and 18 are then engaged to secure the belt to the patient with the opening 23 and the pouch member 38 therein positioned over the abdominal opening of the patient. The panel 33 is then placed over the pouch member and secured to the belt. While there is suflic-ient elasticity of the belt for the pouch member to be removed without removing the belt, it is usually desirable in removing the pouch member 38 to disconnect one of the slide fasteners and the, hooks and eyes to release the belt from the patient 'to facilitate removal of the pouch member for emptying and cleaning. In normal use, the panel 33 is kept in place during wearing, for example, when the patient is up and around during the daytime, and at night, for convenience and comfort of the patient, the panel 33 is completely removed. In either case, the elasticity of the belt and the slight thickness of the stiffening 25 and cover 27 presses the portion of the sheet 43 surrounding the opening tightly against the abdomen of the patient, but the stiffening material is such that it still conforms to the shape of the abdomen so that the pressure does not cause any discomfort, but the pressure is sufiicient to substantially form a seal around the opening into the pouch. 7

'It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A surgical belt adapted to support a colostomy pouch comprising, a relatively wide band of elastic webbing of such length as to extend substantially around the abdomen of a patient, separable fastening means on the ends of the band for connecting same, said band having an opening therein spaced from the ends thereof and adapted to be positioned over an abdominal opening in the patient, stiffening fabric rings surrounding the band opening on the inside of the band, a covering over the stiffening ring, means securing the stiffening ring and cover therefor to the band at the margins of the band opening, a pouch of flexible nonporous material having a mouth portion for positioning in the band opening, a flange extending from the pouch mouth on the inside of the band, and a panel member of elastic webbing releasably secured to the band in overlying relation to the pouch.

2. A surgical belt adapted to support a colostomy pouch comprising, a relatively, wide band of elastic webbing of such length as to extend substantially around the abdomen of a patient, separable fastening means on the endsof the band'for connecting same, said band having an opening therein spaced from the ends thereof and adapted to be positioned over an abdominal opening in the band opening, a pouch of flexible non-porous material having a mouth portion for positioning in the band opening, a flange of flexible material extending from the pouch mouth on the inside of the band,. and a panel member of elastic webbing releasably secured to the band in overlying relation to the pouch.

' 3. A surgical belt adapted to support a colostomy pouch comprising, a relatively wide band of elastic webbing ofv such length as to extend substantially around the abdomen of a patient, said band including a removable section for varying the length thereof, separable fastening means on the ends of the band for releasably securing said ends together, said band having an opening therein spaced from the ends thereof and adapted to be positioned over an abdominal opening in the patient, a pouch of flexible non-porous material having a mouth portion slightly smaller than the band opening and adapted to be positioned therein, a flange extending from the pouch mouth on the inside of the band, and a panel member of elastic webbing overlying the exterior of the band adjacent the opening therein in overlying relation to the portion of the pounch on the exterior of the band.

4. A surgical belt adapted to support a colostomy pouch comprising, a relatively wide band of elastic Webbing of such length as to extend substantially around the abdomen of a patient, said band including a removable section for varying the length thereof, separable fastening means on the ends of the band for releasably securing said ends together, said band having an opening therein spaced from the ends thereof and adapted to be positioned over an abdominal opening in the patient, a stiffening-fabric ring overlying the margins, of the band opening on the inside of said band, covering over the stiffening ring,- means securing the stiffening ring and cover therefor to the band at the margins of the band opening, a pouch of flexible non-porous material having a mouth portion slightly smaller than the band opening and adapted to be positioned therein, a flange of flexible material extending from the pouch mouth on the inside of the band, and a panel member of elastic'webbing .overlying'the exterior of the band adjacent the opening therein in overlying relation to the portion of the pouch on the exterior of the band.

5 A surgical belt adapted to support a colostomy pouch comprising, a relatively wide band of elastic webbing. of such length as to extend substantially around the V abdomen of a patient, said band including a removable section for varying the length thereof, separable fastening means on the ends of the band for releasably securing said ends together, said band having an opening therein spaced from the ends thereof and adapted to be positioned over an abdominal opening in the patient, stiffening fabric,

rings overlying the margins of the band opening on the inside and outside of said band, covering over the stiffening rings, means securing the stifiening rings and covers therefor to the band at the margins of the band opening, a pouch of flexible non-porous material having a mouth portion slightly smaller than the band opening and adapted to be positioned therein, a flange of flexible material extending from the pouch mouth on the inside of the band, a panel member of elastic webbing overlying the exterior of the band adjacent the opening therein in overlying relation to the portion of the pouch on the exterior of the band, said panel extending beyond .the pouch member in all directions, and separable fastening means releasably securing the ends of the panel to the band in spaced relation to the pouch. V

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,476,513 Scott July 19, 1949 2,503,056 Lay Apr. 4, 1950 2,611,364 Mann Sept. 23, 1952 

